The Founder of This Cult Beauty Brand Breaks Down Her Evening Skincare Routine

It's no secret that we love a good morning routine. We've come to learn, however, that the rituals we do to wind down before bed are just as important. Whether you take 10 minutes or a few hours, it's precious time that you have set aside at the end of the day to take care of yourself. Our series Weekend Wind-Down highlights the nightly routines of the people we admire.

Take a peek behind your favorite celebrity, editor, or beauty insider's medicine cabinet, and you'll most likely find one (or more) of Vintner's Daughter's much-beloved products. When founder April Gargiulo was first developing the brand's signature active botanical serum, she was committed to researching and sourcing the highest-quality ingredients in order to find a combination that delivers real results. Unsurprisingly, after more than eight years, her Vintner's Daughter serum and essence still remain staples in her everyday skincare routine.

Keep scrolling to see how Gargiulo takes care of her skin at night and the rest of her restorative wind-down rituals.

5:30 P.M.

I try to quit working around this time when my kids get home from school. The first thing I'll do is change out of my work clothes and into comfy separates.

6 P.M.

My kids are young, so we'll play games, do crafts or all help make dinner. We eat together as a family almost every night and it is always my most cherished time.

7:30 P.M.

After dinner, we can often be found roaming around town looking at houses, maybe getting ice cream, or just enjoying the evening.

8 P.M.

My nighttime routine helps me unwind and appreciate all that my day brought, the celebratory moments coupled with the learning opportunities. There are benefits to it all and a moment of reflection and calm at night helps me to see that.

I favor a more simple routine that gives big results. That means fewer and better products. I always start with a creamy, gentle cleanser and I'm always looking for one to fall in love with. I am currently rotating between Holi Frog, OSEA, and Nuori. 

I then apply Vintner’s Daughter Active Treatment Essence, which is my hydration step. A lot of people think that hydration and moisture are the same, but in fact, they are different and your skin needs both to be its very best. Simply put, hydration is your water step and moisture is your oil step that seals in the hydration. The essence not only delivers deep hydration but also vitamin C, hyaluronic, probiotics, niacinamide, amino acids, and gentle exfoliators so in one step my skin receives perfect proportions of all the best actives.

I'll follow up with Vintner's Daughter Active Botanical Serum, which is my multibeneficial moisture step. It deeply nourishes, brightens, lifts, and balances, which for someone who has acne-prone skin is a gamechanger. It's almost hard to describe what it does for the skin, but you know it when you see it.

My favorite way to apply these products is using our push/press method, which is easy and helps to amplify the healing and microcirculatory properties in both products. When I have time, I will also do a few minutes of facial massage. I have tried using tools for this but always come back to using my own hands. My skincare routine is super simple and yet so effective. I've also realized that my skin is better when I use fewer and better products more consistently.

8:15 P.M.

This is when I put my facial devices to work, which is a ritual I love. I alternate between NuFace Microcurrent, Celluma Red Light, and LYMA Laser.

8:30 P.M.

After applying my skincare, I will sit in bed to read one of the ten books I have on my nightstand or watch a show. I read a lot and love anything by Zadie Smith, Ann Patchett, Haruki Murakami, and Maggie OFarrell. I'm trying to brush up on my Spanish so I'm currently into the telenovela world with Money Heist and Velvet.

A cup of herbal tea and my favorite eye mask made by my friend Elizabeth Few are never far from grasp. I am not always the best sleeper, so sticking to my routines helps ensure a restful night's sleep.